Almost is Never Enough
by RavenclawAnubis
Summary: Formerly titled "Always There." This is a collection of one-shots and drabbles about Ron and Hermione, through all their moments from school to marriage. Prompts welcomed! One-Shot 4: Emotions- Ron feels the grief of the war, but he can't cry in front of Hermione without making himself seem weak, right? Will a heart-to-heart change that?
1. Beginnings

**Hello! I came up with this idea a few weeks ago, but actually writing it, I realized how short it was. Excuse terribleness. **

**Note: Will not always be in order, or this short. **

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_**Fall 1993**_

"Who would like to be the first to see ol' Buckbeak 'ere eh?" Hagrid bellowed across the yard. Everyone stepped back, including both Hermione and Ron. Harry, lost in thought, did not notice.

"Ah 'arry!"

Harry shook out of his thought and gulped. "Me? What are you-" he was cut off by Hagrid nudging him forward. Hermione let out a gasp.

"Hermione, you don't really think Hagrid is going to let Harry touch that t-thing... right?" Ron whispered uneasily.

"I think he is..." Hermione replied, not taking her eyes off Harry.

Harry inched forward, not wanting to scare the beast. Hermione felt her heart beat faster as her best friend, brother more like, grew closer to possible doom. Harry's shoe stopped on a twig, which let out a small _crack_. Hermione gasped, latching onto Ron's hand in fear. Suddenly realizing what she had done, she cautiously, yet swiftly, looked over at Ron. He had a pleasant look of surprise on his face, but he didn't dare let it last long. Ron looking over as well, their eyes met, and slowly crept down to their clasped hands. A blush took over Hermione's cheeks. Ron's ears tinted red, and they let go, slightly rubbing on the spots where their hands touched.

_I kind of... _liked_ that._ Hermione thought, smiling the subtlest of smiles.

And that was how Hermione came to like Ron, and how Ron slowly began to discover feelings other than friendship for her.

_**Winter 1993**_

"It's supposed to be the most haunted building in Britain." Hermione said awkwardly. "Did I er... mention that?"

"Yes. Several times." Ron replied, laughing slightly.

_This outing alone with Hermione really seems awkward without Harry._ Ron thought, shuffling his feet in order to keep himself busy.

"Do you want to move a bit closer?" Hermione asked, breaking the silence.

Ron froze inwardly. Wait a minute... was Hermione asking him what he thought she was asking him?

"What?" Ron choked out.

Hermione's cheeks grew red. "To the shrieking shack, I mean."

_Of course she didn't want us to move closer_, Ron thought, slightly disappointed, though he had no idea why.

_**Spring 1994**_

"Buckbeak!" Hermione exclaimed, running toward Hagrid's hut.

"Wait, Hermione!" Harry called, as he and Ron ran after her. She stopped abruptly as soon as the hut was in sight. The executioner was standing, axe shining in the bright sunlight, in the pumpkin patch, where Buckbeak was.

"No..." she whispered, trailing off as the axe swung downward.

Even Ron felt his stomach drop as Buckbeak's life ended. Hermione backed away, until she was standing with Harry and Ron, and started to sob. Her head lowered to Ron's shoulder and her arms snaked around his neck. Ron felt a surge of energy flow through him, but it only lasted a split second, until Harry started to pat Hermione's arm. Ron felt like he wanted to yell at Harry to get off of Hermione, but he felt that was stupid. After all, Hermione was Harry's friend too.

_Why do I feel like this all of a sudden? I just wish we could just be friends. _But looking downward, noticing how pretty Hermione managed to be, even while her face was scrunched up and wet from tears, he realized, in the back of his mind, that it would never be so again.

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**There you go, I hope you guys like it. I've been wanting do something like this ever since I got an FF account. **

_**RavenclawAnubis**_


	2. Nightmares

**Hiya guys! Thanks for reading this! **

**ToLazyToTry: Thanks! Me too!  
****finchelromionelover: Thank you!  
****Guest: Thanks so much!  
****daddyron404: Thanks! I will!**

**Really uber long one-shot! SQUEE! 1,141 words!**

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**Summer 1994**

Ron tossed and turned in his bed, struggling to fall asleep. He would moan and groan, drink warm milk, count sheep; but no matter what, _the dream _would still occur.

_Ron would be walking in the forbidden forest, toward where he and Harry had found Aragog the other year, but he really wouldn't have a reason to walk. He would just... be there. He would hear the scrambling of spiders, as he grew closer. When he arrived in the clearing, he would spot abandoned spiderwebs and egg cases. Sudddenly, the egg cases would burst open and millions of tiny spiders would crawl toward him. Ron would always jump and back away, terrified, no matter what. Then, Aragog would crawl down from his massive web and glare at Ron. _

_"DANCE, BOY! DANCE!" _

_Some of the larger spiders would begin to tap dance and Ron, terrified, would try to get past them. _

Ron would always wake up, sweating and terrified, at this point, but lately, there was a new part of the dream. An even scarier part.

_Aragog would start chuckling, as the rest of the spiders joined in. __"Well boy, looks like your little friend will have to instead..." _

At first, Ron had expected Harry to appear and start tap dancing. But not at all.

_Aragog would lower a body wrapped in spider-silk, facing away from him. The figure would seem to have bushy, brunette hair, but it was hard to tell at first._

After a couple nights of the new dream, Ron already knew what to expect.

_Aragog would reveal the pale, terrified face of Hermione Granger. She would scream his name as the spiders reached for her, but Ron wouldn't move. He couldn't. He was glued to the spot with spider-silk. Ron would try to shut his eyes, look away, but he always would witness the spiders envelop her completely._

This was now the point where Ron would wake up. For some reason, this new dream was a billion times more scarier than the first. Ron didn't know why.

Okay, maybe Ron _had _developed a _tiny _crush on Hermione, but he didn't think it was anything major. After all, this _always _happened in stories, but the other best friend would always go for the prince or handsome savior instead of the best friend.

Okay, maybe it _was _major.

Ron couldn't go a night without having this nightmare, and all throughout the day he wondered where Hermione was, and when she was coming for the Quidditch World Cup. After a while of pondering, Ron decided he needed to conquer his nightmare, in order to end his obsessive crush. **[A/N: Ron thinks _this _is obsessive? Wait until the sixth year, Ronald. Then you'll _really _know what an obsessive crush is.]**

That night, Ron went into bed confidently. He had already placed earplugs in Harry's ears, so he wouldn't be disturbed. He shut the door, and had completely calmed himself before going to bed.

_The usual events began, Aragog, the tap dancing, Hermione. Then, something amazing occurred. The spiders had forgotten to tie him to the ground, and he could move! Ron began to run, run toward her. He shot jinxes at the spiders, and cast _diffindo _on the web that was trapping Hermione. Ron grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the forest, as surprisingly no spiders showed up to stop them. When they reached the outer courtyard, Hermione stopped him. _

_"Ron! You saved me!" _

_Ron blushed. "Oh, it was nothing..." _

_"No it wasn't." Hermione said, turning to leave. But before she went, she planted a small kiss on his cheek. _

Ron awoke, rubbing the cheek Hermione had kissed in the dream. Nope. There was not going to be an end to this crush.

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**Late Spring/ Early Summer, 1998**

Hermione knew it was over. Voldemort, Bellatrix, and the majority of all the other death eaters were either dead or changed, but she still had nightmares. The nightmares would always vary depending on her day, but she always had one certain one at least twice a week.

_She was back in Malfoy Manor. Bellatrix was standing over her with the knife, questioning her knowledge of the Sword of Gryffindor._

_"I d-don't know anything...p-please..." Hermione pleaded, looking skyward. Where were Ron and Harry? _

_"LIAR!" Bellatrix screeched, pinning Hermione down on the ground with enough force to launch an airplane. Bellatrix pulled out her wand and cast_ crucio_ on her.__ Hermione would scream and scream, begging for the pain to end, but Bellatrix would not subside. Neither Ron, nor Harry would come to her rescue. Bellatrix reduced Hermione to almost nothing, and pull out the knife. _

_"Where's your little boyfriend now?" she cackled, bringing the knife down. _

Hermione bolted upward, panting. Her pajamas were soaked in sweat and her hair was almost drenched. She curled into a ball, whimpering and crying quietly, earnest not to wake anyone. She had no reason to, for Ginny was missing from the bedroom and every other Weasley was a heavy sleeper. The door creaked open, Hermione assumed it was Ginny, returning from the bathroom or something, but it was...

"Ron..." Hermione murmured. "W-what are you doing here?"

"I er... had a nightmare and Ginny was er... in the bedroom with Harry, so I thought I should leave, and I wanted to check on you and... hey... are you crying?" Ron bent down to her and felt her face. Surely it was wet and hot from crying. He sat down next to her on the bed, and put his arm around you.

"What happened?"

I wiped a new tear from my face. "It was t-terrible Ron. I was b-back with Bellatrix and she was t-torturing me even worse than b-before and you and Harry didn't come..." She couldn't bear to go on and collapsed on Ron's shoulder.

"Hermione," Ron said, tilting her head to face his. "You know I'll _always _be there for you, no matter what. You never have to worry about anything like that happening."

Hermione smiled at him, as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I'll tell you what, I'll stay in here with you until you fall asleep. Is that alright?"

"Alright."

Ron sat down on the chair beside her bed and stroked her hand gently. Hermione drifted off to sleep, knowing Ron would always be there for her.

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**Yay! Hoped you guys liked it! Any requests? I need ideas! Just PM me or review with a suggestion or prompt. **

_**RavenclawAnubis**_


	3. Summers

**Hello my dear readers! I'm SO sorry for this uber late update, but I went on vacation and had no time to update anything! **

**RaucousLaughter: Oh my gosh, thanks so much for the constructive criticism! You are greatly helping my writing, and I'm taking everything you say to heart!  
rhmac: Thanks for the reviews, and I know, right! I saw so much romantic tension in POA, and the spider nightmare was actually based on Ron's nightmare during that movie, just before Harry investigated Peter Pettigrew's strange appearance on the Maurader's Map.  
finchelromionelover: Oh, great idea! I'll write that soon for you.**

**So here we are, traveling back to the summer before fifth year. Both of their points of view, plus Ginny's on a cute missing moment between them, plus their feelings at that time. Yeah, I know I'm skipping around a lot; I told you these were not going to be in any particular order... and I'm kinda writing these as I get ideas.**

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_**Summer 1995 **_

Hermione grasped her bag, carrying it into the burrow.

"Oh...careful!" Molly gasped, as Arthur barely missed a cracking a mirror with Hermione's trunk, which he was carrying for her.

Hermione set her things down in the doorway to the kitchen. "Should I go get settled in?"

Molly looked up from her concentration on Arthur. "Oh yes, you remember where Ginny's room is."

Hermione picked up the overnight bag she had packed for the one night at the Burrow, before they all left for Grimmauld Place the next day, and started up the stairs. The burrow seemed awfully quiet... where was Ginny yelling at her brothers, or Fred and George causing trouble? Or Ron, saying "Hi" awkwardly just before they found something to bicker about.

Ron... she didn't want to admit it, but she had thought about him the entire two weeks at her parents home before leaving for the Burrow, and not platonically at all. She daydreamed about his sky blue eyes and his always messy red hair, the light freckles that danced across his nose, and their even their ever-so-constant fights. Even though they always seemed so angry, they were just finding ways to hide their feelings, well at least Hermione was. She had no idea about anything that went on in his head. Even more strangely, she had only thought about Harry twice at home. Once when he sent her a letter, and another when Ron sent her a letter mentioning Harry.

Hermione, caught in her daydreams, blindly walked up the rickety stairs, when suddenly two ginger figures appeared in front of her.

"Hey! It's old Hermione! Say Forge, whaddya say about testing some products on this fine maiden?"

"Why Gred, my dearest twin brother, I thought you'd never ask!" Fred held out what seemed like a pastry with a strange yellow cream spread on top. "Go on then, we've tried it, it's not deadly."

"No thanks, I ate before I left home..." Hermione tried to back away politely, but tripped and fell over the rug.

"Oh no Hermione, it's not filling at all. I ate twenty-three and was still hungry!" George laughed.

They held the pastry ever so close to her face, as if they were going to stuff it down her throat.

"Fred, George, back off. Can you see she doesn't want it?"

Hermione looked behind the tall twins to see Ron, standing there with an annoyed look directed at his older twin brothers, with a slight sympathetic look directed toward her.

An evil grin appeared on George's face. "Well then Freddy old chap, looks like we will be saving these for a certain unsuspecting, lightning-scarred boy, won't we?"

"Indeedy there George my boy." Fred chuckled. With that, the twins apparated out of the hallway.

"Thanks, Ron, but you really didn't have to do that..." Hermione started, before Ron interrupted her.

"No, I wasn't going to let you eat that," he said, holding out a hand to Hermione, which she accepted. Hermione couldn't help but feel a warm tingle flow through her own hand as he helped her up off the floor.

"Besides," Ron continued, "I learned the hard way what it does..."

Hermione laughed, but as she did so, she couldn't help but look at Ron. Was his hair actually fixed up? Did he bother to brush his teeth? And wait... she discreetly sniffed the air. Was that cologne? What in the world had happened? As she snapped out of it, she noticed Ron taking in her features as well. She felt her cheeks grow hot, but couldn't help but grin. Why was Ron looking at her? _What if he... Oh dear... this is going to be a long summer._

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Ron put out his hand for Hermione, although he was mostly sure that she would just get up on her own. However, she actually took his hand and allowed him to help her up. Ron felt a surge of electricity, not sure if it was from the static on the rug or the feeling of Hermione's hand on his.

Yeah... he may or may not have started to fancy Hermione the previous year, even more over the course of the summer so far. He and a feeling Ginny was suspecting something, but she didn't seem to show it. However this morning when he had asked his Mum when Hermione would be arriving, Ginny started laughing so hard that Fred and George had to carry her out of the room.

"Besides, I learned the hard way what it does." he said, earning a laugh from Hermione.

Hermione looked at him, with a slight grin on her face. Ron would normally wonder why, but he was mesmerized in her features. Her eyes seemed more chocolate... and her hair, it seemed less bushy and smelled different, unlike the strawberry shampoo he was used to. And was she wearing a bit of makeup? A sudden blush crept over her cheeks. Ron realized that they were staring at each other, and unconsciously cleared his throat.

"Uhm... Ginny's been waiting for you... there's a cot in there for you." he said, as the familiar warm feeling on the tips of his ears appeared. No doubt he was bright red.

"Oh... yeah... thanks. See you later?" Hermione stuttered, opening the door to Ginny's room.

"Uhm, yeah. Talk in the living room when you're done?"

"Yeah." Hermione seemed to blush deeper, before entering Ginny's room, and closing the door behind her.

"See ya, 'mione." he whispered.

Making sure no one else was around, Ron sunk to the wall, facepalming himself._Oh... I must have looked completely stupid just then... How am I going to survive _all _summer?_

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Ginny sat in her bedroom, flipping through an issue of _Worldwide Witch Quidditch, _but she was really listening to the two "lovebirds'" conversation outside. The door opened, revealing her bushy-haired best friend. Ginny smiled smugly, hoding the magazine up to her face, trying to hide the fact that she noticed Ron standing there, his ears completely red, and Hermione just as red as he was.

"Uhm... yeah... Talk in the living room when you're done?"

"Yeah." Hermione turned scarlet, and shut the door hard.

"See ya, 'mione." Ron's whisper carried through the heavy wooden door.

Ginny raised her eyebrows, as Hermione looked away suspiciously. "Okay, two questions. One, why are you completely scarlet, and two, since when has Ronald over there called you 'mione?"

"Uh... I'm not scarlet... and I don't know, that's the first time I've heard him say that..." Hermione lied, completely obvious to Ginny.

"Let me guess... you fell and Ron saved you from one of Fred and George's creations, he helped you up, you stared at each other, and then called you 'mione."

Hermione's eyes widened. "H-how did you know?"

"I have VERY good hearing."

Hermione chuckled slightly, beginning to unpack her things onto the cot set up next to Ginny's own bed.

Ginny stood up. "No, I'll do that, you have a 'date' with Ronald downstairs, and judging by the look in your face, you really want to be down there right now."

"What... no... I..."

Ginny gave her a look. Hermione, hands in the air, stood up and walked toward the door.

"Oh, Ginny... thanks." she closed the door behind her, and clomped down the stairs.

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**Was that cute or what? If it's not very good, I apologize, but I wanted to give you guys something to read. See ya next update, please send me prompts!**

_**RavenclawAnubis**_


	4. Emotions

**Hey fellow Potterheads! Sorry for (yet another) late update; I am getting busy and lazy. As the school year starts I will either fall even further back or get onto a better updating schedule (it depends on if I can remember to update...), so you may read less from me. I will try to pre-write a few chapters so I can quickly post a few things.**

**Okay this was prompted by finchelromionelover, who wanted a one-shot after the war. I hope this is okay, it's kind of a short, and it is literally right after the war, but I saw so many comfort stories/one-shots about Ron comforting Hermione, that I thought I could put a twist on it.**

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**May 3, 1998 - 6:00 in the evening**

It was over. After all the pain, suffering, and losses, the war was finally over. Ron sprinted up to Gryffindor tower, unsurprised to find the fat lady's portrait pulled off the wall and tossed to the ground. He ignored any possible passwords, and collapsed on the sofa in the common room. He was finally alone, and could finally cry without waning his "Hero" of the wizarding world image.

Ron knew that he was the one who would usually hold in his feelings and let go, while Harry would become angry, and Hermione would eventually break down and cry, leaving it up to Ron to comfort her. However, with the pain of losing Fred, Remus, Tonks, and others; watching his fellow Hogwarts students die before his eyes; and knowing that Harry, his family, Dumbledore's Army...Hermione... all could have died, Ron had no choice but to sob.

It was the first time in months, years really, that he had cried, ignoring the angry tears he had shed upon leaving Harry and Hermione in the tent.

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Hermione hadn't noticed at first that Ron had left the Great Hall. She was having a relatively cheerful conversation with Ginny, Luna, and Neville, and was distracted, almost too distracted to notice at all. However when George, tears finally seeming to leave his face, walked over asking where Ron was, Hermione grew suspicious.

Ron would always try to be the strong one, most likely for Hermione's own sake, but Hermione knew that since the war, Ron's emotional range had grew greatly from that of a teaspoon.

"Could you wait a minute; I have to go find Ron." Hermione said, the seriousness of the situation refraining Hermione from using Ron's full name.

She already knew exactly where he was, in one of the few places untouched by the battle and empty of people.

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Hermione climbed up the stone steps, which had halted from switching mid-floor, almost as if they sensed the cloud of tension and grief the war had left imprinted on the castle. A couple of wizards passed her with a stretcher covered in a cloak, as Hermione winced. The castle was oddly quiet; it took Hermione a minute to remind herself of the reason why.

Suddenly, a strangled cry rang out through the corridors. It sounded desperate and grief-filled, like a sob, and came from the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. Hermione raced down toward the sound, before stopping herself. _The person crying in that room could not want to be disturbed, maybe I should not disturb them. Or wait, it could also be someone who needs comfort... maybe I should just check... _

Hermione stuck her head into the doorway, looking around for a sobbing figure, or possibly a dying body. "Hello?"

"M-mione?"

"Ron?"

* * *

_No... I can't let Hermione see me like this! Pull yourself together Ron..._

"Ron?" Hermione pulled the blanket off the sofa, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Hey..." Ron gave her a short grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

Ron felt his ears grow hot. "Uhm... just finding some peace and quiet... it kind of h-helps to get away from the s-sobbing..." Another sob overtook Ron, as Hermione put her hands on his shoulders.

"Don't be embarrassed... I know you're sad, and hurt, and grieving. Crying is a completely normal way to handle how you're feeling."

Ron wiped a tear from his face, looking up at Hermione. "You don't understand, it took forever for you to fancy me, and now that you see how weak I am, you probably won't anymore."

Hermione looked shocked. "What? I've liked you since... fourth year. Maybe even a bit earlier than that, point is that I do fancy you! I love how you smile, how you always make me laugh, even our arguments!"

"You love things about me?"

It was now Hermione's turn to blush scarlet. "What? Is that a problem?"

Ron felt his lips turn up in a smile. "No, not at all."

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**Like the ending? I kept feeling like I should make them kiss, but I like how I ended this. (Of course I'll eventually write them a kiss, but it would have to be post-war or a kiss on the cheek...) See you all whenever I update next!**

_**RavenclawAnubis**_


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